Self-cleaning rake.



M. 1. HAMBURGER.

SELF CLEANING RAKE. APPLICATION FILED OCT. i3.` I9I'4.

1,234,755. Patented1111y311917. I

o Q l N I 00 N I N l N l" y 1\ u I u n Nm Iii EIILQIILIIEIEW IHN NIE-"In/umm MARY J'. HAMBURGER, OF BAYPORT, NEW YORK.

SELF-CLEANING RAKE.

i Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 31, 1917.

Application med october 1s, 1914. serial No. 866,471.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, MARY J. HAMBURGER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bayport, in the county of Suolk and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Cleaning Rakes; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in self-cleaningrakes and resides in the provision of an attachment for the ordinarystyle of rakes by means of which the teeth of the rake may be strippedof leaf trash and otherforeign matter.

Another object is to provide novel stripping means that is of novel andeective construction and which will positively remove all of the leaftrash and other foreign matter from the teeth.

Another objectof importance is to provide novel means for operating thestripping means that is readily accessible to the operator and whichwill be automatically held in closed position.

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as areillustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the followingspecification and then more particularly pointed out in the claim.

Vith reference to the drawings, wherein I have illustrated the preferredembodiment of my invention as it is reduced to practice, and throughoutthe several views of which similar reference numerals designatecorresponding parts,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved rake,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view illustrating the construction forpivotally mountin@r the stripping plate on the handle of the ra e. v

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference the numeral 1designates a rake handle of the ordinary construction, 2 the rake headand 3 face teeth of the ordinary construction and carried by said rakehead. My improved stripping means consists of an approximatelyrectangular and flat metallic stripping plate 4 that is provided with aplurality of spaced parallel longitudinal slots 5 therein which receivethe teeth 3. An extension 6 is formed on the rear edge of extension onopposite sides thereof are upstanding apertured lugs or eyes. Securedupon the handle 1 is a U-shaped attaching bar S that has its side armportions pivotally connected by suitable `pivot pins 9 to the aperturedlugs 7 and engaged with the inner faces of the apertured lugs as clearlyshown in Fig. 3. A U-shaped clamping member 10 provided at its free endswith lateral apertured extensions 11 is mounted upon the handle 1 andhas the extensions 11 disposed in engagement with the body portion ofthe U-shaped attachingbar 8. Bolts or other suitable fastening elements12 are inserted through the apertured extensions 11 and the body portionofthe U-shaped attaching bar 8 serves to secure the bar 8 and clamp 10in opposite positions relative to the handle 1 together.

As a means for normally holding the stripping plate 4 in normalhorizontal position as illustrated in Fig. 2 and for operating the plate4 so that it is moved downwardly relative to the teeth 3 and strips theteeth I provide a relatively long operating lever or arm 13 that isprovided at its free end with an offset handle portion 14 and at itsother end is suitably secured to the upper end of attaching arms 15. Thelower ends of the attaching arms are diverged and bent at right anglesto the body portions thereof to Provide laterally extending lugs or feet16. Suitable fastening elements 17 are inserted through the extension 16and into the plate 4 and preferably into the extendedv portion 6 of saidplate. When the plate is in normal position the operating lever or rod13 is disposed approximately parallel to' the handle 1.

As the means for holding the lever 13 in inoperative or out of the wayposition I provide a V-'shaped spring clip 18 that is secured upon thehandle l and receives the handle portion 14 and the lever 13.

In operation when it is desired to strip the teeth, the handle portion14 of the lever 13 is grasped and the lever moves outwardly away fromthe rake handle 1. Upon the outward movement of the lever 13 relative tothe rake handle 1 plate 4 is caused to move downwardly relative to thefree ends of the teeth 3 andwill as will be clearly seen in Fig. 2 ofthe drawing remove all foreign matter from the teeth. By forcingthehandle portion 14 of the lever 13 to the spring clip 18, the lever 13and plate 4 will be held in ont of the Way or inoperative position.

The plate fl swings upon the pivot pin 9 asY will be clearly seen andmay be readily attached with its corresponding parts to any Well knowntypes of rales Without necessitating any material change in theconstruction of the rake.

In practice, I have found that the form of my invention, illustrated inthe drawing,l and referred to in the above description, as the preferredembodiment, is the most eflicient and practical; yet realizing that theconditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarilyvary, I desire to emphasize the fact that various minor changes indetails of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may beresorted to, when required, Without sacrificing` any of the advantagesof my invention,` as set forth.V

lVhat is claimed is The combination with a rake, of a trans yverse barlocated beneath and extending laterally from the rake handle andprovided with upwardly extending terminals, a central clamp straddling`the Said handle and securing the transverse bar to the same, astripping` plate having a rear extension located beneath the handle andprovided'ivith opposite lugs pivoted to the terminals of the said bar,an operating lever extending longitudinally above the handle andprovided with a forked front portion straddling the front end of thehandle and rigidly secured to the rear extension of the stripping plateand means carried by the handle for engaging the operating lever. Y

In testimony whereof I al'hx my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

MARY J. HAMBURGER.V

`Witnesses NANNETTE I-Inixrmionr., MATILDA Y Hann.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for iive cents each, by adressngthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. i

